A dead man gives an AI-generated impact statement to the court

The title of this post looks like something from The Twilight Zone, but sadly it is true. Some will say I’m majoring on the minors here, but here I go.

Three years ago, 37-year-old Chris Pelkey was shot and killed in a road rage incident in Arizona. According to this article, yesterday at the end of the court trial, Pelkey’s sister Stacey Wales was allowed by the court to play a video generated by Artificial Intelligence, of her brother speaking from his grave. The judge’s decision allowing this set a dangerous legal precedence, as this was the first time a dead man was able to give an AI-generated impact statement to the court.

Admittedly, I have toyed with the idea of making some AI-generated photos and videos. Undoubtedly, some of it looks fun. But after seeing this, I repent of entertaining that thought. Although I do not legislate my conviction upon others. 

#1 From a judicial perspective, the AI portion of this video is beyond third-party hearsay and should never be allowed in court.

#2 From a Theological perspective, I believe this is a form of necromancy, an abomination to the LORD (albeit a one-way communication).

I have a fair question to ask. When does Artificial Intelligence become deceptive, idolatry, and/or in this case, necromancy?

Over my lifetime, I have had the unfortunate opportunity of seeing much death. And I’ve also seen many worship their dead. It is true everybody grieves differently. But it is even more true that Christians (the elect) won’t grieve like the world.

The older I am in the Lord, the lesser I think of myself. And so, that is one of the reasons I have left instructions behind that there is to be no burial and no funeral service for myself. The chief end of man is to glorify God, fear Him, and keep His Commandments, and by God’s sovereign grace, the elect will obey and share His glorious Gospel, which is the power of God onto salvation.

Here is the aforementioned video.